Their Virgin Concubine(89)

Dane put a fist up, stopping completely. His body went perfectly still. He could have been one of the many marble statues that decorated the grounds. His face was as hard as granite as he pointed to one of the corners.

A body. One of the servants. Even from here, Tal could see the blood beginning to pool around the body. A faithful employee, brought down by a monster. Guilt was starting to eat away at his panic. How many would die because Khalil was broken?

“Silencer.” The word was a whisper from Dane’s mouth. “He has to have one or I would have heard that.”

Dane took a step forward, his big body making no sound. He stepped on the balls of his feet, moving with natural grace. Tal matched his guard, clinging to the walls. Every step brought him closer to Piper, closer to finding out if she was still alive.

“Fucking bitch!” Khalil’s scream echoed.

Dane put a hand out, stopping Tal from running forward. Tal calmed. His guard was right. Running screaming into the room wasn’t the best way to save Piper. He could hear Khalil moan a little.

“I’m sorry. Did my heel hurt your balls?” Piper’s voice was shaky, but there was a deep resolve in that Texas twang. “You try that again and I swear I’ll take them off.”

“Dumb bitch.” Khalil’s low growl echoed quietly through the room as Tal was allowed to move forward. It sounded like his cousin had managed to make his way to the bedroom. The outer sitting room was empty, but someone had put up a fight. A chair was knocked over and a table destroyed. Piper was fighting for her life, and she didn’t seem to be doing it with courtesy.

A little thrill of pride in his bride lit his system. She was still alive, and she was giving Khalil hell.

A hand on his back had him turning. He bit back a yell.

Rafe and Kade were there, each with a gun in his hand.

Dane put a finger to his lips. Silence. It was the key word of the day.

Tal wasn’t sure how his brothers had gotten here. More than likely they had followed Dane or been told by Landon where to go, but no matter how it had happened, Tal was deeply relieved his brothers were at his side. They fell in line behind him. He could feel their tension, but neither one would panic.

“It’s not going to work,” Piper said. Tal wished he could see her. “You can’t hurt him through me. He doesn’t really love me. All you’re going to do is kill me, get yourself thrown in jail, and he’ll have another bride by the end of the week. He has plenty of time to marry. He only needs a few weeks. He was shipping me out in the morning anyway.”

Tal hated the way her voice trembled. He wondered if she really believed it. God, she couldn’t die when she didn’t believe he loved her. She was his whole world.

There was a pause. Dane inched toward the door, leading them all. Tal felt brutally inadequate. He couldn’t just march in the room and start shooting. He had no idea where they were standing.

A horrible idea started to play at the back of his head. They needed an advantage. They needed the door open and a line of vision to the target. If Dane entered and Khalil had even a moment’s advantage, Piper could be killed. Tal couldn’t risk that. Khalil had nothing to lose. Tal had everything.

They needed a distraction.

Khalil’s voice floated through the heavy doors. Tal could see Dane listening, trying to figure out where the jackal stood. The problem was the fact that sound tended to echo through the large room, making it impossible to really know where the target was without seeing it.

“I think my cousin cares more about you than you realize,” Khalil snarled. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. You must have seen it, too. Why else would you stay after I told you about all of your husbands’ women, you stubborn American? Why else would you show up to this dinner tonight after your terrible argument earlier? Yes, I know all about it. We nearly called off the attack, you know. I intended to wait for another occasion when you would be present. But you waltzed into the room as if you had the Sheikh wrapped around your finger. Stupid whore. Now come here, and perhaps I will allow you to live. If you refuse, I can shoot you where you stand. Either way, I will bring Talib to his knees. You are the key.”

A mountain of fury raged through Talib. And terror for Piper. That motherfuker. Khalil had just signed his own death warrant.

Dane’s head shook slightly, as though he was trying to clear it so he could try again to place them in the room, but Tal couldn’t be certain Khalil would speak first or shoot. Piper wasn’t cooperating. He didn’t have a minute to waste.

“Make certain he dies,” he whispered to Dane. Then he laid the gun down on the table and walked to the door with his hands up in the air.